Anthony
by KaylaDestroyer
Summary: This is the back story for 'Raz's Hands'. How she met Anthony, how she got that seaweed bow, and a little insight into when their love began to blossom. Plz Review! Also dedicated to lily and MBSAVfan1.


My Hands

Young Raz hopped happily through the sand, giggling to herself. Her family lived close to the coast, resulting in occasional visits to the beach. Her father, an eight foot red kangaroo, with the trademark rusty red pelt and the golden eyes she had inherited, hopped after her playfully. Her mother, a violet and grey striped red kangaroo female, laid tanning in the sun, another joey in her pouch. Raz was ecstatic at being a big sister, although there was much yet to know about her sibling. Her father eventually caught her, wrapping his hands around her and lifting the wiggling child in the air. She squealed as he threw her up to the sun, then caught her again and rubbed his nose against hers.

"I gotchya'!"

"Not for long!" Raz wriggled out of her father's grip and sped off hopping again, her father chasing her indignantly but laughing along with her all the same. Soon, the joey came across a long piece of shimmering seaweed laying in the sand. Finding it pretty, she cooed and picked it up, then rinsed the sand off in the ocean. Her father soon caught up, and she eagerly showed him her treasure. "I need some way to keep it with me." she muttered thoughtfully.

"I have an idea." her father said, gently taking it from her. He turned Raz so that her back faced him, and then began tying the long strip in a delicate bow around her ears, which hung against the back of her head. The joey admired herself in the water, and then hugged her father.

"It's beautiful papa." she said. "Thanks." The adult picked her up and cradled her lovingly against his chest.

"I'm glad, sheila. I love ya'."

"I love ya' too, papa." The jack began hopping back towards his mate.

"Let's go see what yer' mum's up to." He allowed Raz to hop ahead of him, but kept her in his sights. Once reaching the adult female, Raz eagerly embraced her. Raz's mother chuckled and hugged her back.

"'Ello sheila."

"Mum! Look what papa did for me!" the joey said excitedly, turning and proudly showing off her new bow. Her mother admired the seaweed ribbon and patted her daughter fondly.

"Ya' look so pretteh'!" she gushed. Raz giggled and nuzzled her mother happily. Then she laid a hand on the adult's pouch.

"Can we see tha' baby soon?" she inquired. Her mother chuckled and laid her hand over top Raz's tiny one.

"It's gonna' be anothah' few months yet, sheila." she replied. "But not too much longer." At that point Raz's father reached them.

"Well, what do ya' two say ta' some lunch?" he asked. Raz hopped up and down excitedly.

"Yeah, I'm starvin'!" The adults chuckled, and Raz's mother stood, brushing the sand off herself. The kangaroo family made their way inland, headed for the grasslands that would provide them with a meal. However, as they were enjoying their meal, Raz's father, Alex, sensed another presence. He herded his daughter closer to her mother, hoping that it was merely a small threat that would pass quickly. Adele looked at her mate, wondering as to why he seemed so nervous, and then she sensed it too. She held Raz close against her pouch, eyes scanning the landscape and long ears twitching, as she had given her daughter the ears that hung against the back of her head.

"Mum?" the joey asked.

"Sh, Raz." The joey quivered against her mother, hugging her tightly. A dingo suddenly sprung out of a small clump of brush, heading for the family. Raz screamed and clutched her mother, but the adult just pushed her away.

"Go Raz, get away!" The joey, flustered and terrified as she was, did as was told and began hopping in a random direction, afraid and worried for her parents. Her mother headed off in a different direction, and her father faced the beast. It wasn't long before Raz's family was out of sight, and she felt safe. The joey made her way to one of the few trees, and sat underneath it, wrapping her arms around herself and looking around fearfully.

"Mum?" she called out. No answer. "Papa? Where are ya'?" Her cry was met with silence. She began to feel lonely, scared of other dangers that could appear now that she was alone. She sniffled, and began to cry, ears drooping forlornly. She was alone, and lost. Suddenly, out of the blue, a hand rested gently on her shoulder, and she spun around with a gasp.

"Hey, calm down. I won't hurt ya'." a new voice said. Raz blinked her watery eyes up at a young boomer. His fur was rusty red, signifying he was her species. He sat down beside her, smiling with his kind brown eyes. "Why are ya' all alone?" Raz sniffled before replying.

"We were attacked by a dingo. My mum told me to run, and I haven't see her or mah' papa since." The boomer reached over and gently wiped away her tears, and then took her hands in his. Raz looked down at their hands, and then up at the young male kangaroo's face.

"My name's Anthony." Raz smiled.

"I'm Raz."

"I like your bow; it makes you look really pretteh'." Raz blushed and giggled.

"Thanks." The two sat in a companionable silence for a moment. "Ya' look really familiar…do we live in tha' same mob?" Anthony's eyes sparkled.

"Yeah, I think so!"

"Cool!...Thanks Anthony."

"Fer' what?"

"I'm not scared aneh'more."

"Oh, well that's good." The pair giggled, and Anthony wrapped an arm around Raz. "Do ya' think we should go look for yer' parents?"

"Probably. But, maybe we should bring yer' parents too."

"Good idea." The two sat in their embrace for another moment, then stood. Anthony led Raz as the pair hopped off towards their mob.

* * *

Raz was an adolescent in her later teen years. She still wore her seaweed ribbon; to remind herself of that day. She smiled and sighed as she gazed out at the ocean, standing on a tall rock formation where a local party had gathered all the teens. She was taking a break from socializing and admiring the ocean at night, a favorite hobby of hers. She flinched as a hand gently laid over hers in surprise. "Easy there!" another voice said. One that she recognized easily, and had become a good deal deeper.

She smiled and embraced the hand with her own, not yet turning to her longest standing friend. "One would think a dingo had just clawed up yer' arm." Raz chuckled and turned to Anthony, admiring his smile and still kind brown eyes.

"I was thinkin' about that day." She replied, turning back to the ocean. "Besides, ya' know my reflexes top everyone else's."

"Because of that day." Raz smirked. "Best day of mah' life, I must admit." Raz playfully shoved her shoulder into Anthony's. Her hand still held its grip.

"Yer' jokin'."

"No I'm not!" the teen replied indignantly, but smiling all the same. "If that day had nevah' happened, I'd nevah' have met ya', and then we wouldn't be friends."

"True." Raz chuckled and leaned against Anthony, staring out at the ocean. "It was tha' best day of mah' life too, then." The two teenagers stared out at the ocean, tainted black from the dark sky with the moon bobbing in the water merrily. Anthony slowly replaced the hand Raz as holding with his free one, using his other arm to wrap around the jill's shoulders. She chuckled and smiled up at him. "I see where yer' goin'." she said slyly, but the jack's smile only widened.

"Oh really? And what exactly is it that I want?" Raz studied him for a moment.

"Hm...somethin' important."

"Oh, definitely."

"Somethin' big."

"Biggah' than anythin' else I've asked ya' for." Raz giggled.

"Oh spit it out, Anthony!" The jack chuckled and gently let go of Raz's hand, bringing it up to hold her chin.

"Raz, I've known ya' for almost my entiah' life now. and we've become really good friends."

"Anthony," Raz said with mock seriousness. "are ya' tryin' ta' ask me ta' be yer' mate?" The two burst out laughing.

"No, ya' fruit loop!" the jack finally replied. "Raz, I'm askin' ya' ta' go on a date with me." The jill blinked wide, surprised eyes at him.

"R-really?" she asked quietly. Anthony nodded. Raz grinned slyly. "On one condition."

"Tell me." She gestured for him to lower his ear to her. The jack complied.

"Ya' hafta' catch me." she whispered. No sooner were the words out of her mouth had she bolted, hopping away from the party as fast as her feet could carry her. Anthony laughed and gave chase. The two kangaroos made their way across the sand for miles, laughing and taunting each other merrily, the moonlight illuminating their fur. At last, however, Raz found herself tiring. Wanting the game to go on longer, she veered off into the trees, taking care to put on an extra burst of speed before concealing herself behind one of the trunks.

"Hey, no one said you could hide!" Anthony protested playfully. Raz giggled quietly and bit back a witty retort. After a few moments of silence, she cautiously peeked around the trunk. The other teen was nowhere in sight, and she began to feel nervous. This was the same general area that her family had been attacked by dingos; and if one was alone, that only made them easier prey. Before she could call out to assure herself of his presence somewhere nearby, she felt someone grab her from behind. She screamed and jerked herself sideways, knocking her attacker into the tree and effectively loosening their grip.

She then wrapped a hand around their throat and pinned them to the tree. The other kangaroo wriggled desperately. "Oi, Raz! It's just me!" Once realizing her 'attacker' was Anthony, she instantly let him go with a gasp.

"Oh...Anthony, I'm so sorry! I...I-"

"It's alright, shiela." the jack assured, catching his breath. He smiled at her. "I caught ya'!" he said smugly. Raz chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah ya' did." she admitted. "So what are ya' plannin' on doin' fro this date?" Anthony smirked knowingly and placed a finger on her lips.

"You be ready at the beach tomorrow night, sundown." He winked. "I'll meet ya' there." Raz chuckled bashfully, grinning at him. Then, to her shock, Anthony gently kissed her forehead. Raz froze for a moment, not sure what exactly she was feeling. "Raz? Are ya' alright?" The jill blinked, then smiled softly at him.

"Yeah, now I am." They both grinned.

* * *

**So yeah, this was actually made before 'Raz's Hands'. It's pretty much the back** story** that I based 'Raz's Hand's' on, since I liked the whole idea but I was in no shape to actually make a story out of this, being in the middle of 'Inocent Tena' and all. So...it isn't much, but please tell me what you think! Again, this is dedicated to MBSAVfan1 and lily for their diligence in reviewing Inocent Tena and their abundant love for my Raz writings. ;) My only regret is I cannot alert lily of when I post new stories since I have no way of pm-ing her since I'm not sure she's even a member of the site. **


End file.
